DOOARS FESTIVAL

Dooars Utsav helping as tourism booster

COOCH BEHAR, Jan. 7: The seven-day Dooars Utsav that began yesterday at Alipurduar Parade Ground is highlighting the prospect of tourism in Dooars and adjoining areas in this region. This is the fifth year of the festival. It will continue till 12 January.

 

The organisers said the aim of the festival is to highlight the prospect of tourism through the rich culture of this region.

 

There are more than one hundred stalls in the festival ground including that of state departments like tourism, information and cultural affairs and agriculture. Stalls from far away areas like Delhi and Bangladesh are also there. The main attraction of the Bangladeshi stalls is display of Jamdani Sarees. Several self-help groups (SHG) too put up stalls here. Bengal's very own sweets and homemade recipes like Pithe, Puli and Payas are also attracting visitors in the SHG stalls.

 

As in other fairs there are merry-go-round and other rides for the younger ones. At the food plaza one can taste local and foreign foods, continental and Chinese, as one desire.

 

Cultural programmes including that of folk culture are being staged on three daises at the Parade Ground. Seminars are being held everyday on different topics. There is a dais for the members of the younger generation.

 

The organisers claimed that the Dooars Utsav was helping flourishing of tourism industry in this region for the past five years. []